Safety belts incorporated in a vehicle{40 s seat

ABSTRACT

The belt consists of a strap on which one end passes round the back, the between said back and the seat, to be wound round the drum of an automatic winder mounted at one end of a shaft whose other end comprises a locking device cooperating with a pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt.

United States Patent 11 1 3,637,258 Rayon 51 Jan. 25, 1972 SAFETY BELTS INCORPORATED IN A [561 References Cited VEHICLE S SEAT UNITED STATES PATENTS [721 invent Patrice Mari? l Le Prieure, Avrille, 2,794,654 6/1957 Sullivan ..280/l50 SB (Mamba-LOW), France 3,287,062 11/1966 Board et al. ..297/388 2 Filed: Sept. 2 1969 3,321,246 5/1967 Davies 3,348,881 /1967 Weman ..297/389 X 211 App]. No.2 861,335

Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Foreign Application Priority Data A'mmey j' Delatre'seguy Sept 27, 1968 France ..l67944 [57] ABSTRACT The belt consists ofa stra on which one end asses round the 52 us. (:1 .297 89 297 3 8,2 0 P P In. CL l3 i f ii g gg back, the between said back and the seat, to be wound round [58] the drum of an automatic winder mounted at one end of a Field of Search ..297/386, 388, 389; 280/ SB shaft whose other end comprises a locking device cooperating with a pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt.

8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN25|972 SHEET 10F 8 y WW B W aw M 6 u M W P PATENTED JAN25 1972 SHEET 2 OF 8 INVE/YTQI":

f MMLL myo v mmmm sum 3 or a lav V5297 a i 7: fu'c Mam. 8 0 N 7- mm. 1%

PATENIEDJAN25|972 3,637,258

SHEEI GDP 8 INVENTOP: WAY/EFL Mm ISM N SAFETY BELTS INCORPORATED IN A VEHICLE'S SEAT Until now, safety belts for land, air or sea vehicles, were not studied as a function of their incorporation directly, and thus special installations had to be made in vehicles for fixing safety belts.

This invention obviates these disadvantages by creating a safety belt that can be fitted directly on the vehicle. Moreover, the fact of the absence of a fastening buckle and the possibility of automatic retraction of the safety belt when not in use, means that this safety belt can, owing to its simple construction, be adapted by mass-production on vehicles.

In the examples which follow, the belt is a three-point anchoring type, but this example is not restrictive, for twopoint anchoring safety belts, or subabdominal, can also be fitted in the same way as diagonal belts.

According to the invention, the safety belt incorporated in a vehicles seat is constituted by a strap of which one end, fixed to a part of the vehicle or seat, passes round the back of the seat, then between the latter and the seat and is wound by its other end around the drum of an automatic winder incorporated in the seat frame and controlled by a locking device, cooperating with a pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the safety belt and subject to a locking device itself.

Various other characteristics of the invention will also be revealed by the detailed description which follows.

Forms of embodiment of the object of the invention are shown, by way of examples, in the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the safety belt incorporated in a seat, the safety belt being at rest.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1, but showing the safety belt when in use.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an alternative embodiment of the safety belt.

FIG. 4 is a plan, on a larger scale, of part of the controlling and locking device of the safety belt according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation along the line f of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan of an alternative embodiment of the device of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation along the line f, of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a strap in its position corresponding to a ventral belt.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 8, showing the same belt in position when in use.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a seat fitted with a strap in its position corresponding to a ventral and diagonal belt.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view, corresponding to FIG. 10, and showing the same belt in position for use.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another alternative of a ventral safety belt that can be used on a seat.

In FIG. 1, the seat 30 comprises, on its lower frame, an automatic winder 31 acting as fixing point for one of the ends of a continuous strap 32 forming a safety belt. This belt is also shown on the seat in the zone separating the back D from the seat A. The strap 32 completely surrounds the back, being finally fixed at a point 33, integral, for instance, with the floor of the vehicle. This point 33 could also be fixed on the seat frame or on the fixed part of the device enabling longitudinal and/or height adjustment of the seat, as ordinarily exists on land, sea and air vehicles. On the seat frame there are also two parallel spindles 34, 35 resting in bearings 36 integral with the seat frame. The spindle 34 has a stirrup 37 at one of its ends, whereas the other end terminates by a finger 38 of L-shape. The spindle 35 comprises two fingers 39, 40 at one of its ends and at its other end, first a stirrup 41, then an operating lever 42. The stirrup 41 is intended to act as member for holding the finger 38. Lastly, a member 43, also mounted on the seat frame A, acts to guide the strap 32 forming the safety belt. 44 designates a cam pivotally mounted on a spindle 45 resting in bearings (not shown) but fixed on the frame of the seat A.

In the position shown in FIG. 1, the safety belt is said to be at rest," that is the strap 32 is only applied on the seat and does not embarass the user, as now the backs of seats of land, sea or air vehicles are curved so as to enable the user's back to fit into the back of the seat.

When the safety belt is required to be put in position, the user, after sitting down, pulls the strap 32 until he is surrounded by the strap forming a ventral loop 32 V or a diagonal loop 32 D (FIG. 2). Moreover, the two strands thus formed are held by the finger 38 which is locked by the stirrup 41 by means of the operating lever 42. The movement of the latter also causes the fingers 39, 40 to seize the stirrup 37 integral with the spindle 34. This movement, in addition to the unwinding movement of the strap 32, causes the cam 44 to rotate, thus energetically locking the strap 32 forming the safety belt, between this cam 44 and the stirrup 37. A sufficient fixing of the strap is thus obtained, which can no longer slip and which ensures the correct holding of the user in the seat, even in the case of a very hard push which may occur, for instance, during an accident to a sea, air or land vehicle.

As soon as the user no longer requires the safety belt, the operating lever 42 frees the finger 38 and thus disengages the loop formed by the strap 32. Under the effect of the automatic winder 31, the strap 32, forming the safety belt, resumes the position shown in FIG. 1.

According to FIGS. 3 to 5, the safety belt 60, which is made in the shape of a continuous strap, is fixed by its end 61 at a point P situated behind the back D of the vehicles seat. The strap 60 normally surrounds the back 63 of the seat, then, passing between this back 63 and the seat 64, is guided by a catch 65 and finally reaches a reel 66 of a conventional automatic winder, at its other end. The amount of strap wound is the quantity of going round the occupier of the seat by a diagonal 60a and a transversal 60b (diagrammatized by a broken line in FIG. 3). The reel 66 of the automatic winder is mounted on a shaft 67 resting in bearings 68, 69, 70. The free end of the shaft 67 has a pinion 71, at least partially toothed, cooperating with a pawl 72 mounted at the end of a lever 73 which can pivot around a spindle 74 integral with the seat frame. The part 73a of the lever 73 is long enough to act as fixing point for the loop formed by the strap 60, when it is in the position shown by the broken line in FIG. 3, i.e., when a person, sitting on the seat, uses the safety belt; the end 73b of the lever 73, is, in this case, placed under the pawl 75 articulated on a spindle 76, this pawl being pulled in'the direction of the arrow f, by a resilient member 77 (FIG. 5). Thus, on the one hand, a temporary loop is made with the strap 60 around part 73a of the lever 73, and on the other hand, the automatic winder 68 is locked by means of the pawl 72 and pinion 71 of the shaft 67. 7

When the user wishes to leave the seat, he acts on the pawl 75 so as to disengage the end 73b of the lever 73 against the action of the spring 77. On this account, the lever 73 can pivot round the spindle 74, to the extent that the resilient member of the reel of the automatic winder 66 being under tension, tends to resume its rest position while winding in a considerable part of the strap 60 forming the safety belt.

At this moment, the belt occupies the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 and is ready for use again, if necessary.

In FIG. 6, the automatic winder 66 is mounted on a shaft 80 resting in bearings 81, 82, 83, this shaft 80 having a ratchettoothed pinion 84, at its end 800. Moreover, a small spindle 85, resting by one of its ends in a pinion hollow 84 and a bearing 86, supports a hollow shaft 87 having a ratchet-toothed pinion 88 at one of its ends, and a lever 89 at its other end. A lug 90 integral with the spindle is housed inside a helicoidal slot 91 in the hollow shaft 87 which is held by bearings 10!), 101. Finally, a pawl 92, pivoting round a spindle 93, enables the arm 89 to be locked in the position shown in FIG. 5. 94 designates a spring tending to make the pawl 92 pivot in the direction of the arrow f,.

The working of this device is identical to that previously described for FIGS. 3 to 5, since the temporary loop of the strap 60 is formed when the safety belt is used, around the lever 89 held horizontally by the pawl 92, and by this means, the automatic winder is locked by the ratchet teeth 84, 88 which is engaged. As soon as the lever 89 is released, by making the pawl 92 pivot in the opposite direction of the arrow f (FIG. 7), the coupling 84, 88 is disconnected, and then, the

automatic winder, under the action of its strapped resilient member, returns the safety belt 60.

In FIG. 8, the same members are designated by the same reference numerals. The buckle 60c, terminating the strap 60,

is normally attached to the vehicle when the user is seated on v the seat of the vehicle on the part 730 of the lever 73. Thus, a safety belt is obtained transversally surrounding the person sitting on the seat, as shown in FIG. 9.

The working of this belt is identical to that described in the preceding examples.

In FIG. 10, the top of the back 63 of the seat comprises, inside the upholstering fixed on the frame of this back and able to reach, through an opening made in the upholstering, a hook 100 on which the buckle 60c of the strap 60 is attached. Normally, in the rest position, the safety belt occupies the position shown in FIG. 10. When the user is sitting on the seat, he pulls the strap 60 placed on the back 63, winds at double loop round the body, as shown in FIG. 11, and fixes the strap 60 on the part 73a of the lever 73. The working of this safety belt has already been described above.

In FIG. 12, the automatic winder 101 is mounted on a shaft 102 carried by bearings 103, 104. The shaft 102 carried a pinion 105 at its left end, according to the drawings. This latter cooperates with a spur pinion 106 mounted excentric on a vertical shaft 107 resting in bearings 108, 109. The end 107a of the shaft carries a pawl 1-10 cooperating with a bolt 111 placed at the end of a pivoting lever 112 returned by a spring 113 integral with the seat frame 120 of the seat B comprising a back 121. 114 designates the control handle of the pivoting lever 112. The strap 60 wound on the winder 101 terminates by a buckle 602 held visible in the space comprised between the seat 120 and back 121, so that by pulling on this buckle 60c the person sitting on the seat can surround himself with the safety belt 60 and fix the buckle 60e on the pawl 110, thus locking the safety belt. The pawl 110 is easily disengaged by pivoting the handle 114 in the direction of the arrow f so as to disengage the bolt 111 of the pawl 110. Locking of the winder 101 is effected by means of the pawl 110 and bolt 111, which, when in the position shown in FIG. 12, lock the pinion 105 and spur pinion 106 assembly.

In certain cases, when, instead of a central belt, it is required to have a diagonal belt on a seat, for instance, the latter comprises a hook of the kind 100 (FIGS. and 11) in its back. Thus, by hooking the buckle 60c of the strap 60 onto the hook 100, a diagonal safety belt, and locking of the winder by the -111 assembly are obtained.

Iclaim:

1. A safety belt incorporated in a vehicle's seat, said belt being constituted by a strap, one end of which is fixed to a part of the seat, said strap then passing around the back of said seat, then between said back and the seat itself, said strap being wound by its other end around a drum of an automatic winder mounted at one end of a shaft incorporated in the frame of the seat and forming a second fixing point of the belt, the other end of said shaft comprising a locking device cooperating with a pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt when the latter. is in use, said pivoting member being itself subjected to a locking device.

2. A safety belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking device of the shaft consists of a toothed pinion and of a pawl.

3. A safety belt as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the locking device of the shaft consists of a ratchet-toothed clutch having a mobile member formed by a sliding sleeve moving along a fixed spindle, said sliding sleeve comprising a helicoidal opening which houses a spur integral with the spindle.

4. A safety belt as claimed in claim 1, in which the pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt is a lever articulated on a spindle integral with the frame of the seat.

5. A safety belt as claimed in claim 3, in which the pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt consists of an arm mounted at the end of the slidin sleeve of the clutch.

6. A safety belt as claimed in c aim 5, in WhlCh the arm forming the third fixing point of the belt is provided with a locking device formed by a spring pawl articulated on a spindle mounted on the frame of the seat.

7. A safety belt as claimed in claim 1, in which the top of the back of the seat comprises a hook integral with the frame of the back of the seat, said hook being covered by upholstery and accessible through a channel provided in the upholstery.

8. A safety belt as claimed in claim I, said belt being formed by a strap, one end of which having a terminal buckle protruding between the seat and the back of the seat, said strap being wound by its other end around the drum of the automatic winder, one of the ends of the shaft on which said winder is mounted cooperating with a clutch partly mounted on a vertical shaft, with a pawl on its top, said belt further comprising a mobile locking device enabling the terminal buckle to be controlled when the belt is ready for use. 

1. A safety belt incorporated in a vehicle''s seat, said belt being constituted by a strap, one end of which is fixed to a part of the seat, said strap then passing around the back of said seat, then between said back and the seat itself, said strap being wound by its other end around a drum of an automatic winder mounted at one end of a shaft incorporated in the frame of the seat and forming a second fixing point of the belt, the other end of said shaft comprising a locking device cooperating with a pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt when the latter is in use, said pivoting member being itself subjected to a locking device.
 2. A safety belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking device of the shaft consists of a toothed pinion and of a pawl.
 3. A safety belt as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the locking device of the shaft consists of a ratchet-toothed clutch having a mobile member formed by a sliding sleeve moving along a fixed spindle, said sliding sleeve comprising a helicoidal opening which houses a spur integral with the spindle.
 4. A safety belt as claimed in claim 1, in which the pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt is a lever articulated on a spindle integral with the frame of the seat.
 5. A safety belt as claimed in claim 3, in which the pivoting member forming the third fixing point of the belt consists of an arm mounted at the end of the sliding sleeve of the clutch.
 6. A safety belt as claimed in claim 5, in which the arm forming the third fixing point of the belt is provided with a locking device formed by a spring pawl articulated on a spindle mounted on the frame of the seat.
 7. A safety belt as claimed in claim 1, in which the top of the back of the seat comprises a hook integral with the frame of the back of the seat, said hook being covered by upholstery and accessible through a channel provided in the upholstery.
 8. A safety belt as claimed in claim 1, said belt being formed by a strap, one end of which having a terminal buckle protruding between the seat and the back of the seat, said strap being wound by its other end around the drum of the automatic winder, one of the ends of the shaft on which said winder is mounted cooperating with a clutch partly mounted on a vertical shaft, with a pawl on its top, said belt further comprising a mobile locking device enabling the terminal buckle to be controlled when the belt is ready for use. 